The Giant Squid
by yespadfoot
Summary: Since Lily told James she'd rather go out with the Giant Squid than him, James dresses as the Giant Squid.. - prompt from hpfanfictionprompts. Also, if anyone could tell me who drew the lovely story picture so I can give them credit, that would be great!


**Hello readers! This is my first Harry Potter fan fiction and I've decided to start out with some Jily! Tell me how you like it once you've read it, I'm open to comments and suggestions! Enjoy!**

Lily Evans was not having a good day.

First, she woke to a frantic Mary Macdonald hurrying around the room, realizing that if Mary was up, she had overslept and that breakfast was now probably finishing up. She rolled over, muttering, and reached over to her bedside table, blinking the sleep out of her eyes, to grab her wand, but she couldn't find it. She jumped out of bed and checked the table again and, just as she had suspected, her wand wasn't there. She thought she must have left it in the common room last night, as she was up extremely late finishing her Prefect rounds all by herself (_stupid Heads and their stupid scheduling_) and once finished, stopped to grab her Transfiguration book she had left on the chair by the window, and staggered up the girls' stairs and crashed onto her bed, robes and all.

She definitely did not want to go into the Common Room to get her wand without getting ready first, but what other choice did she have? Sighing, she braced herself and tiptoed down the stairs, hoping that everyone would still be down in the Great Hall, but alas, her wishes were moot. It seemed breakfast had just ended and she had missed it. People were back in the Tower, grabbing their books for the first class of the day. She glanced around herself, trying to find a direct path to her wand so she could get it and get out of there with no one noticing her presence. It seemed a bit ridiculous, but she just couldn't deal with having her normally put together self- well, _not-_ in front of people.

Most of the people still in the Common Room were clustered around four boys over by the empty fireplace, fawning over them. Lily rolled her eyes in disgust at the girls who didn't know what the word "subtle" means. But she realized that thanks to the Marauders (_such a stupid name, _she thought), she had a straight shot to get to the chair and table that she was working on by the windows, without anyone being the wiser. She checked around herself once more, and then took off towards the windows. She couldn't believe her luck. She had made it there and back, and was about to get on the stairs, when James Potter glanced up and noticed a red-head in the common room with wrinkled robes from the night before still on and ruffled hair, looking not at all like her normally immaculate self.

He grinned, "Alright, Evans?"

She groaned, gritting her teeth. She was not in the mood to deal with James Potter today, not that she ever was. She turned towards him quickly, hating how he was so cocky when he was around her, especially after what happened last week.

"I'm not in the mood, Potter. I'll thank you to turn around back to your flock of girls. Merlin knows, they actually _want_ your attention." She then turned back around and marched up the steps with all of the dignity she could muster whilst wearing her pj's. She did not see the confused, crestfallen look on the face of her sworn enemy as she rebuffed him, again, without giving him a chance. He began brainstorming, trying to think of more _unique_ ways of getting her to notice him. Then, he remembered something she had said just the other day, after their Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. _"I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid."_ And suddenly, he knew just what to do. Now, it was time to plan.

Since Lily didn't even have enough time to eat breakfast as it was, she used a Freshening Charm on herself instead of taking a shower, which made her feel unclean with the filth of the day before. But oh well. She got ready for the day and tried to at least get a semblance of her normal, non-frazzled self.

Even though they had already taken their O.W.L.'s, the students still have one week of school left and as such, still have classes. They aren't taught much, but the classes are more preparation for the standards of N.E.W.T. level classes, as well as an overview for sixth year.

Lily's first class of the day, Charms, which was her favorite, didn't go well either. She had forgotten her textbook and quill in her room amidst the madness of the morning, and had to borrow one of James _bloody_ Potter's quills because, naturally, he jumped at the opportunity to help his Lily Flower out.

She had one other class before lunch, which was Potions with the Slytherins. Normally this would be alright, as she loved Potions, but ever since Snape had called her.. that _word,_ she hadn't been able to go anywhere in the Castle without having him appear and try and make up what he had done to her. He just didn't understand that words such as that couldn't be forgiven, no matter who said them and the context of the situation. He had _known_ how she felt about that word but had snarled it out anyway, not caring about her feelings, and that was unforgivable.

The students shuffled into the room once Slughorn opened the doors, and Lily did _not_ want to sit in her normal seat - next to Snape. Thankfully, one of her housemates was in the Hospital Wing, and while Lily would normally scold herself for thinking in such a way, she had to admit her relief that she didn't have to sit next to the boy who she hated most of all at the moment. But her not sitting next to him didn't mean he didn't try to talk to her. Multiple times throughout the lesson - when getting their potions' ingredients from the shelves, during the potion-making, and even through a hastily-written note, Snape tried to contact her, but she didn't let him. When Snape had sent another note her way when she ignored the first, James had incinerated it in the air, making it so that it couldn't reach her. She was overwhelmed with feelings of gratitude that someone had understood how she felt and had even turned to smile at whoever it was, before realizing it was _Potter. _Suddenly, it didn't seem to mean as much anymore.

By the time lunch had come around, Lily was all but exhausted and wishing for the day to end. She sat down with two of her roommates, Mary Macdonald and Marlene McKinnon, too tired to even speak until she was addressed.

"Lily, what's wrong? You've been really quiet all day," Mary observed, caring as she was.

"Weren't you up late last night? Prefect rounds are the perfect time to get use of the broom closets, you know. Hm, I wonder what you could've been doing.." Marlene trailed off with a cheeky smirk on her face that promised trouble.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Lily began, but she noticed her friends' attention was taken by someone walking through the doors to the Great Hall.

"Oh my Godric.." Mary said with a shocked look on her face. Everyone who was facing the doors started murmuring, and then laughing, and the sound was like a tidal wave, starting from the end closest to the doors, and ending on the other.

Meanwhile, Lily had been trying to get their attention to no avail, until she turned around and asked exasperatedly, "What's going on? I doubt whatever it is is that importa-" Her words cut off once she saw the a giant squid sauntering up to her slowly, arms and tentacles waving. It was Gryffindor red, and ⅙ the size of the Great Hall. It seemed to be struggling with it's size, as it's arms kept sweeping along the ground, slamming into the walls. She was confused at first, and astounded. And then she saw the head peeking out of what looked like a Muggle costume, but couldn't have been. _Of course it's James Potter, who else? _And though she seemed irritated, she was actually very amused; he reminded her of Ursula from _The Little Mermaid_, her favorite Disney movie. His head was tiny compared to the rest of his body, but it was dyed red so it matched. Lily had never been more confused in her life.

"Oh my Godric," she repeated Mary. _What was he doing? _He had gotten someone to transfigure him- probably Sirius because the job could've been done better- into the great squid, barring his face. _He had gotten someone to transfigure him into the great squid._

James, clumsily, slid forward, determined to get to his destination. He still had his human legs, but as his tentacles were so long, he could barely control them. He couldn't get as close to Lily as he'd have liked, but his loud voice made up for that. "Lily Evans, Lily Flower, Lilybug, Tigerlily," he began listing off in a booming voice, "I seem to remember you saying something to me the other day, something that has _stuck_ with me for a while now." When he said "stuck," he tried to get control of one of the two tentacles and lifted one up so the suction cups made a large popping sound.

Everyone in the Hall could hear the joke, and most laughed, except for all of the Slytherins. Lily groaned. This was _not_ going to be good, she knew.

James continued, "You said- and I quote- 'I wouldn't go out with you if it was a choice between you and the giant squid.' Well, lucky for you, you can get both," he stated with a grin, like there was no way she could refuse. "So, Lily Flower, would you go to Hogsmeade with the giant squid?" And as he spoke, one of his moving arms swept and hit the Hufflepuff Table, making that side of the table fall over. James looked sheepish and was muttering his apologies.

And Lily Evans did something no one would have ever believed without witnessing it- she broke down laughing. Not a short laugh, not even a sarcastic laugh; a full-fledged laugh that made you feel as though you were getting abs because you were laughing too hard. She just couldn't help it. He looked ridiculous! And he did all of this for her. As annoyed as that usually makes her when he makes a huge spectacle, she was actually in awe with how far he'd gone just so he could go out with her once. As Lily continued howling with laughter, tears forming in her eyes, James got more and more confused.

"Uh.. Evans?"

And a few minutes later, "Alright, Evans?"

As she sobered up, wiping away her tears, she said, "Thank you. I needed that."

And people were speechless. Lily Evans, laughing at James Potter and thanking him? Is she okay? Is she in her right mind? Or has she been hit with a Cheering Charm or something?

James was positively beside himself though, beaming from one side of his face to the other. He turned to the other Marauders, surprise etched on his face, but also elation. His tentacles were flailing around everywhere, making him look a ridiculous sight. "So.. Hogsmeade?" He tried again, hoping that for once, he wasn't pressing his luck.

"You know what, Potter? Why not? Sure, I'll go with you. But only if you're transfigured like this when we go," she agreed with a devious grin. She didn't quite know what she was getting into, but she decided that she really didn't care all that much.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Evans, you will do no such thing! I will not have you waltzing around Hogsmeade looking like a buffoon! Detention for transfiguring yourself into the giant squid!" McGonagall interrupted, nostrils flaring.

Ah McGonagall. He couldn't say he wasn't waiting for it.

"And get yourself changed back _right this instant!"_

**Should there be a part two with the date? Or should it just end like this? Tell me what you'd like! Thanks again for reading!**


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